1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to tools and, more particularly, is concerned with a method for identifying the size of tools.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Coding systems have been described in the prior art; however, none of the prior art devices disclose the unique features of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,627 to Johnson dated Jan. 8, 1991 disclosed color coded tools. U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,227 to Vogel dated Jul. 4, 2000 disclosed a visual coding system for tool size. U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,950 to Crosser dated May 28, 2002 disclosed color coded tools. U.S. Patent Application Publication US2004/0216566 to Shih dated Nov. 4, 2004 disclosed applying two pieces of tape to tools.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,227, dated Jul. 4, 2000, Vogel discloses a novel system for visually coding tools as to their size which comprises a maximum of two sets of differently colored bands which are placed on the surface of the tool. Each band of each color represents a portion of the size of the tool. Thus, when the number of bands of each color is counted, the size of the tool is indicated. Different colors are used to indicate metric tools versus English tools. Different color schemes may be used to represent the ownership of the tools.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,627, dated Jan. 8, 1991, Johnson disclosed a color code tool identification method for the instant determination of the size of various types of hand tools and small cutting tools such as drill bits. A color chart is provided showing a range of ten colors. Each color indicates a particular numeral. The sequence of the indicated numerals provides a size designation for the tool. The method provides fractional inch size determination and also metric size determination. The method may be used alone or in conjunction with conventional marking methods.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,170, dated Jun. 26, 1990, Zumeta disclosed a color coding system primarily for implements including tools or other hand-manipulated devices, whereby individual colors are applied to tools of a series having diverse sizes, such diversity of size following an orderly scheme, such as having like denominators with incremental numerator differences.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,488, dated Jul. 16, 1991, Zumeta disclosed a color coding system primarily for implements, including tools, instruments or other hand-manipulated devices, whereby individual colors are applied to tools of a series having diverse size, such diversity of size following an orderly scheme.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,158, dated Mar. 12, 1996, Wong disclosed a set of endodontic cutting instruments, each having handles and each having a different working tip diameter incrementally increasing in size from one instrument to the next. The set includes a first smaller standard size endodontic cutting instrument having a grasping end with a first color according to a standard color code, a second larger standard size endodontic cutting instrument having a grasping end with a second color according to the standard color code and a non-standard intermediate size endodontic instrument having a size between the first smaller standard size and the second larger standard size and having a grasping end with a color combination including a first portion having the first standard color corresponding to the first smaller standard size and as second portion having the second standard color corresponding to the second larger standard size.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,950 B1, dated May 28, 2002, Crosser disclosed the tools (wrenches) of this invention which provide a one-color instant identification of color coded tools. Preferably, the tools have a portion of the outer surface colored. Typically the color impregnates the metal or plating during the manufacturing process. Another embodiment is a color appliqué, band or sleeve on the outer surface of the tools. The key of this coloring is to identify the tool quickly by coloring a large area of the tool. This provides for quick identification of the tool even if the numerical designations are illegible because of small sizing or dirt obliteration. In a preferred embodiment, virtually the entire tool is colored during manufacturing. In another preferred embodiment, large raised numbers combine with the overall color scheme to make the tools quickly identifiable. Dirtying the large colored surface is very unlikely as is obliterating the large raised fractional numbers.
While these color coding systems may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.